


how far do I have to go to get to you?

by mysilenceknot



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, First Meetings, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-12 12:00:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13546896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysilenceknot/pseuds/mysilenceknot
Summary: prompt: it’s two am and we haven’t really talked all year even though we live on the same floor, but neither of us cared enough to change out of our onesies… and we match





	how far do I have to go to get to you?

**Author's Note:**

> In 2012 the University of Pittsburgh received over one hundred bomb threats over the course of spring semester. The prompt comes from potential scenarios from the disaster (most of which are things that my friends actually went through that term). Woo.  
> Title comes from [Many the Miles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwg1TpxkSnA) by Sara Bareilles.

Cynthia leaned back in a stadium chair and sighed.

Her dorm building had been evacuated yet again, the third time this week. She really should have thought twice before leaving her phone in her room but she’d been hoping that there would finally be a night of rest. Unfortunately, hopes don’t change reality.

Luckily she had a set of flash cards with her. She preferred to do her laundry at night because the laundry room in the building tended to be less busy at two in the morning and due to one aggravating incident Cynthia knew that it was better to stay with her clothes as they washed than it was to go back upstairs to her dorm room.

It was nights like these that she missed her roommate Helena, a girl who had taken academic leave halfway through the spring term which resulted in Cynthia being alone in a double room. While it was nice to have peace and quiet instead of dealing with her roommate’s misery, it was still lonely. And although Cynthia was so glad Helena got the help she needed because things were looking scary for a while there, if she’d been around she could have grabbed Cynthia’s phone during the evacuation.

With another deep sigh, Cynthia pulled her flashcards out of her pocket and tried to study her psychology notes despite the voices around her. She had just gotten into a groove before she heard a voice.

“Excuse me?” Cynthia looked up. Another student who lived in her dorm building was suddenly standing next to her. This girl was absolutely adorable. Cynthia was pretty sure they’d never interacted until this moment.

“Can I help you?”

“Sorry, I was down where the faculty was handing out water bottles but I noticed you and I wanted to say hi.”

Cynthia tilted her head in confusion. “Okay, hi?”

“Hi! Well, that’s not all I wanted to say.” Still smiling, she gestured between their clothing. “We match!” 

Cynthia looked down at what she was wearing and closed her eyes. Of course she’d been doing laundry that night. Of course she’d waited until she was out of close to actually get her ass to the laundry room. And of course she met a super attractive classmate while wearing --

“A cat onesie.”

“Yup! I’m actually a rabbit but, as you can see, I didn’t put my hood up.” In seconds the other girl put the hood up and Cynthia couldn’t help but smile at what an adorable picture she made. “I got it as a going away present from my best friend when we both left for school. You?”

“It was actually a gag gift,” Cynthia deadpanned. “A friend mailed it to me as part of a care package that consisted of this, bad nerd shirts that I’m never going to wear and a ridiculous amount of fruit gushers.”

“Fruit gushers are a wonderful present,” the girl responded seriously. They sat in silence for a few moments before the girl glanced down at the cards Cynthia was holding. “Are you in Psych 101?”

“Yup.”

“Taught by?”

“Dr. Eckleston.”

The girl smiled again. “I had him last semester! How’s it going?”

“Pretty good, I guess.” Cynthia shook her stack of cards. “We’re learning about childhood development right now and we have exam next Monday.”

“Assuming there’s not another bomb threat.”

“Assuming there’s not another bomb threat,” Cynthia repeated in agreement. Once again silence. Cynthia didn’t know what to do - normally she’d flirt a little but it was three am and she was sitting in her onesie kind of thrown off guard by someone else in a onesie. A bizarre scenario.

“Anyways,” the girl said, “I guess I should go back to my roommates.”

“Wait!” The girl turned back around. Cynthia stuck her hand out. “Cynthia Reynolds, Building A room 803.”

“Iris West, Building A room 1915.”

“Oh ew,” Cynthia responded, “you had to walk down nineteen flights?”

“Every time we get a new threat! It’s really good exercise!” Iris said sarcastically.

“God, I’m so sorry.” she laughed. “I feel super lucky now.”

“Maybe whoever’s been calling in the bomb threats will realize how they’re ruining my life specifically."

“Oh great and powerful Gods Of The University,” Cynthia called out to the ceiling. “May thy mercy come down and protect thee, specifically Iris, from the wrath of the dick who’s making her life hell.”

“Amen.”

They laughed together before Iris’s phone buzzed. “Oh shit,” she said, “my roommate wants me to come back. It was good to meet you, Cynthia.”

“It was so good to meet you in return. And,” Cynthia added, “since I don’t have a phone feel free to write on my whiteboard if you ever want to study together. Off-campus, of course.”

“Yes, because so far no threats have been called to buildings off campus, yes?”

“Please don’t jinx it.”

It was Iris's turn to call up to the ceiling. “Oh powerful Gods Of The University who protect us all, may the city buildings remain safe from the dick who is making us suffer.” She turned to look back down at Cynthia, bright eyes matching the delight on Cynthia’s face. “I’ll catch you later?”

“Yup! And I’ll be wearing normal clothes when I see you next. Even without the onesies we still might be a match.”

Iris smile grew wider and she gave Cynthia a wave before walking down the bleachers to her friends.

Cynthia sighed, picking up her flashcards even though there was no hope of studying tonight. Iris West. A new friend. _Thanks, University Gods_ , she thought with a laugh. _Thy has done good for thine children after all._


End file.
